Soft drink dispensers have become increasingly automated. Such systems are now capable of dispensing full measures of soft drink by appropriately combining syrup and soda in a cup or other appropriate receptacle having a quantity of ice therein. Such dispensing is achieved rapidly, and in such a manner as to minimize foam and prevent overflow, while assuring a full measure of soft drink within the receptacle.
Presently, the most inefficient portion of soft drink dispensers appears to be the ice dispensing mechanism. The art has passed from ice bins requiring manual retrieval of ice to ice bins which incorporate motor-driven augers for dispensing ice from the bin into the soft drink cup. Some systems require that an operator controls the actuation and termination of the ice dispensing cycle by control of an actuation switch or button. However, such systems preclude the operator from performing other functions during the ice dispensing cycle. More automated systems allow the operator to engage an ice dispensing cycle by simply actuating a switch which causes the motor and associated auger to run for a fixed period of time. Such systems assume that the amount of ice dispensed in such time period will be of a predetermined and consistent quantity. However, because of the physical structure of ice cubes or discs, the ice often bridges the auger, allowing voids to pass therealong during the dispensing cycle. Conversely, ice cubes or discs often freeze together as a conglomeration. In such event, the amount of ice dispensed during a dispensing cycle is often greater than when individual cubes or discs are maintained within the bin and so dispensed. Indeed, it has been found that for any given time period, the amount of ice dispensed with present ice machines can vary over a extremely broad range.
It is most desirable that the quantity of ice in a soft drink cup be rather consistent from drink to drink. If too little ice is dispensed, the ice may all melt, failing to keep the drink cold. At the other end of the spectrum, if too much ice is dispensed, the customer may feel cheated on hid purchase, having received less than a full measure of soft drink in return for a much larger portion of ice.
There is presently a need in the art for an ice dispensing system which constantly monitors the actual dispensing of ice pieces, terminating the ice dispensing cycle when a preset volume of ice has been dispensed.